the graceless

[instar]

Bella sits out, this year as every year, from gym class. It's just asking for a lawsuit. She does stretches and crunches and push-ups in the corner.

Comments

[aeskhyne]

Trouble sighs.

"I'm sorry I called it cute," he says. "Wanting to fix things is good. But when I ask you how you're gonna get it right and instead of talking about who you'll ask for advice and how you'll find out what you need to know, you get your back up about how you can get it all done by yourself, I don't start wanting to hand you a genie in a bottle."

[instar]

"If only I had guessed that my prize was a genie when I had the opportunity to collect such a prize. In practice I'm thinking medical research."

[aeskhyne]

"Probably safe," says Trouble.

[instar]

"Ah, I have your seal of approval. All is well."

[pandion]

Andi hugs her sister.

[aeskhyne]

"Is this my cue to get lost?" says Trouble.

[instar]

Bella shrugs. "I didn't like how you asked a question. That doesn't mean you aren't allowed within a hundred yards of me by court order, or anything. If I were really mad I'd tell you not to come over this evening."

[aeskhyne]

"Okay."

[instar]

Sandwich.

[pandion]

Andi looks her over, then tells Trouble, "She's okay."

[aeskhyne]

He smiles. "Good."

[pandion]

"I would totally hand Bella a genie if I had one," Andi adds loyally.

[aeskhyne]

"Bet you would," Trouble agrees.

[instar]

The twins eat their lunches.

[aeskhyne]

Trouble eats his, which appears to have been brought from home.

[pandion]

"Trade you my fruit cocktail cup thing for your kiwi."

[aeskhyne]

"Sure," says Trouble. He hands her the kiwi.

[pandion]

Andi completes the trade and consumes the kiwi. Nom!

[aeskhyne]

Trouble consumes the fruit cocktail cup thing. Everyone is happy!

[instar]

Eventually lunch ends. Off go the girls.

Bella sits out of gym as usual; today she has little weights she's holding while she does her crunches.

[aeskhyne]

"Hi," says Trouble. "Sorry I made you mad at lunch."

[instar]

"It's not a big deal. If you ever find a bottled genie give me another shot at earning your approval for genie-use, yeah? It's moot otherwise."

[aeskhyne]

He shrugs. "Sure thing."

[instar]

The bell rings; Bella shelves the weights and folds up the mat.



"My dad used to like that I wanted to do something important. Never patronized me about it. Lately he seems to think it's about time I outgrew it, or something. Like it was only ever cute and now I'm too old to be cute."

[aeskhyne]

"Aww, I'm sorry," says Trouble. "I didn't know. That really sucks."